Rifle.



No. 663,923. Patented Dec. l8, I900.

W. B. NICHOLSON.

' RIFLE.

Applic lation filed July 26, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

{No Model.)

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- w. B. NICHOLSON.

R I F L E.

Application filed July 28, 1900.)

2 ShaetsSheet 2 No Model.)

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UNITED STATES RIFLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,923, dated December 18, 1900.

Application filed July 26, 1900.

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAYLAND B. NICHOL- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holly, in the county of Oakland and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rifles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to rifles.

One'object of the invention is to combine with a rifle a cylinder and a magazine and arrange the parts in such relation that the chambers in the cylinder may be brought successively into register with the magazine and receive the cartridges therefrom, and,furthermore, to provide an ejector for the cylinder, so that in breaking the barrel the empty shells will be ejected, and upon locking the barrel in its normal position the chambers of the cylinder may be brought into register with the magazine and receive the cartridges therefrom. This construction enables me to produce a rifle which may be charged with a number of cartridges, which number will be limited only by the length and number of the magazines and the number of. chambers in the cylinder.

A further object of the invention vide simple, durable, mechanism.

Another object is to provide a construction whereby the firing pin and hammer with its encompassing spring and bushing may be readily removed.

A further object is to provide novel means for locking the barrel in firing position to the tube-connecting head.

A final object is to simplify the construction and to produce a rifle of this character which may be placed upon the market at a greatly-reduced cost.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts,which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in longitudinal section, illustrating my improved rifle. Fig. 2

is to proand effective firing Serial No. 24,909. (No model.)

is a side elevation illustrating the rifle broken to eject the shells from the cylinder. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tube-connecting head. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the spring for actuating the chamber-dog. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the spring-bushing and its locking-pin.

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes the stock of the gun, and 2 the casting or block, secured thereto by plates 3 in the usual manner.

- tand 5 denote tubes the inner ends of which are slipped over and secured to lugs 6 and 7, projecting forwardly from the block. The upper tube serves as a casing for the firing pin and hammer and the lower tube serves as a casing for the magazine. The forward ends of the tubes are secured tolugs 8 and 9, projecting inwardly from a tube-connecting head 10. This head 10 has a cartridge-bore 11, a firing-pin opening 12, and a slot 13. Projecting forwardly from the head and formed preferably integral therewith is an arm 15, to which is pivoted a barrel-head 16, which supports a barrel 14:, which is braced and strengthened by a rod 17, secured to said head and also to a sleeve 18, which embraces both rod and barrel at its muzzle. The head 16 is provided with a rearwardly-projecting arm 19, which when the barrel is swung upward in firing position fits within the slot 13 and is locked therein by a transversely-arranged spring-actuated pin 20, which crosses the slot and passes through an aperture 21 in the arm 19.

22 denotes a hammer provided at its rear end with a knob 23, by means of which it may be set for firing. 1

24 denotesa firing-pin which is secured to the forward end of the hammer and projects forward through the opening 12.

25 denotes a sleeve or bushing embracing the hammer and held in position by a transverse pin 26, which passes through the tube 4 and a notch 27 in said bushing.

28 denotes a coil-spring coiled about the hammer and confined between the forward end of the pin 26 and a stop 29, secured to the forward end of the hammer. The energy of this spring is exerted to shoot the firingpin forward.

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denotes a magazine which is connected to the lugs 7 and 9 and passes through the latter and registers with the bore 11 in the tube-connecting head 10. Placed within the magazine is a coil-spring 31.

32 denotes a plunger located in advance of the spring and provided with 'a headed pin 33, which projects through a longitudinal slot 34 in the side of the magazine and through a registering longitudinal slot 35 in the tube 5. The longitudinal slot 35 is formed with an angular extension 36, which, in connection with the headed pin 33, forms a bayonet-j oint, so that when the plunger 32 is drawn rearward by the pin 33 and the pin 33 engaged with the extension 36 of the slot 35 the spring 31 will be held depressed.

37 denotes a trigger hinged to the breechblock 2 and engaged by a fiat spring 33 in the usual manner.

39 denotes a dog which extends upwardly through an aperture in the lug 7, through the tube 5 into the tube 4, through an aperture 40 in the lug 6, and engages one of the notches 41 42, formed in the hammer.

43 denotes a cylinder journaled upon a pin 44, carried by the head 16. This pin is provided with lips or arms of the usual construction and acts to eject the shells when the barrel of the rifle is broken or thrown in the position shown in Fig. 2.

45 denotes a fiat spring having one end secured to the lower side of the tube 5 near its forward end and provided at its forward end with a pin 46, which works through an aperture in the arm 15 and engages the seats 47 of the cylinder and holds each chamber in register with the bore 11 and magazine 30. The spring is provided with laterally-extending spring-arms 43, by means of which the pin may be withdrawn from the seats 47 to permit of the cylinder being rotated to bring its successive chambers in register with the magazine.

In operation, assuming the cylinder to be charged with cartridges, likewise the magazine, the hammer is set by pulling it rearward, so as to engage its forward notch with the upper end of the dog 39. Now by pulling upon the trigger 37 the dog 39 will be released from the hammerand the spring 28 will project the hammer forwardly, causing the forward end of the firing-pin to strike the cartridge in the cylinder and discharge the same. This action is repeated until all of the cartridges in the cylinder have been exploded. Now by pressing upon the spring-actuated pin 20 the arm 19 of the head 16 is released from the head 10, thus permitting the barrel to be broken and in the act of breaking the empty shells will be ejected from the cylinder in the usual manner. .As the particular form of ejector used forms no part of my invention I have not shown nor described it in detail. The barrel is now swung to its normal position and locked in place by the pin 20. The plunger 32, which has been normally held in the extension 36 of the slot 35, is now released, thus permitting the spring to force said plunger and the cartridges within the magazine immediately in advance of the plunger successively into the chambers of the cylinder as the cylinder is revolved by hand. This recharges the cylinder and places the rifle in condition for the second rapid firing.

While I have shown but one magazine, it is evident that I may employ two or more, and thus greatly multiply the shooting capacity of the rifle. This rifle differs from those magazine-guns with which I am acquainted in that none of the makes now in use have a cylinder. It is therefore evident that the capacity of these guns is determined by the size of the magazine and the number of cartridges that may be placed therein, while in my case the capacity is only limited by the number of magazines used, as it is evident that I may use several magazines, for all that is neces' sary is to have them communicate with the chambers in the cylinder, so that they may be fed from the magazine direct to said chambers. Furthermore, when but one magazine is used I have the shooting capacity of that magazine plus the number of cartridges within the cylinder.

It will be noticed that the firing-pin, its actuating-spring, and the greater portion of the hammer are entirely incased and concealed from view and that the tubes employed form a firm and substantial truss.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what is claimed, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, a rifle-stock, ablock carried thereby, tubes connected to said block, a head connecting said tubes and provided with an arm, a barrel provided with a head connected to said arm, a rotatable cylinder carried by said barrel provided with cartridgechambers, firing mechanism located in one of said tubes, and a charge-containing magazine located within the other tube and adapted to register with the chambers of said cylinder when the latter is rotated, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a rifle-stock and its tilting barrel, of a tube arranged intermediately thereof and connected therewith, a firing-pin extending through the forward end of said tube, a hammer extending through the rear end of said tube and connected to the firing-pin, and a coil-spring arranged within IIO said tube to actuate the pin and hammer, sub- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set stantially as set forth. my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- [0 3. In a rifle, the combination with a stock nesses.

and a tilting barrel of tubes connecting them 5 together, one of said tubes inclosing the fir- WAYLAND NICHOLSON ing mechanism, and the other tube inclosing Witnesses: the charge-magazine, substantially as set 0. A. WILSON,

forth. EMMA SARGENT. 

